Can anyone make a recommendation on how to sell a large Tanzanite?

[kiliki]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone has a suggestion on a reputable company that may buy a large Tanzanite (37.26 Cts) from private (non-commercial) sellers?

My wife and I purchased the Tanzanite while on a cruise back in 2005 when times were good and we were hoping to save it for our kids, but unfortunately, unforeseen circumstances today have put us in a situation where we will have to sell it.

Does anyone know of a safe way to sell something like this?

Anyone suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[chrono]

The first thing I would do is to have it appraised by an experienced independent gemstone appraiser who knows more than just diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and rubies. He may also be able to advice you not just on its real resale value (which is usually less than the appraised value). I am always leery when I hear of consumers purchasing gemstones while on a cruise because the gemstone is often not as represented and/or overpriced.

I''m sorry you have to consider parting with such a special item.

 

[kiliki]

Thank you for your kind response. Thankfully, we had that step already taken as soon as we bought it so we could have it insured in case of loss or fire. The appraiser we chose has an incredible amount of credentials and is even a gemology professor at a college. His appraisal was in the ball park of what we hoped for and were very pleased with our purchase. We inquired about how private citizens sell these things and he said it was a difficult task and sees them most often sold in specialty auction houses.

 

[chrono]

Perhaps you can inquire with Cherrypicked? They are sellers of high end gemstones.
Richard Orbach''s phone number is: 877-384-8023

 

[LD]

Definitely having an appraisal will help. You may get more if you sell it to an individual rather than a company. To give you an idea of selling prices of TOP Tanzanites have a look at www.lapigems.com If you sell it privately, to attract a buyer, you''ll need to come in under the prices you see. If you had a Cert from AGTA (and I don''t think it costs the earth to get one), it''ll be easier to sell than with an appraisal. As Chrono has mentioned, even though you know and were happy with the Appraiser, it doesn''t carry the weight to gemstone buyers as having an AGTA cert.

I don''t know if that helps or not?

 

[PrecisionGem]

I would at a minimum get a cert from a place like AGL. Their fast track certs will cost you $35 plus shipping (which will be around $20). Often these stones bought on Cruises are not what you think they are.

A jeweler friend with a "Tanzanite" that a customer brought in to be mounted, ended up chipping the stone while trying to set it. He called me to see if I could fix it. Once I got it home, it didn''t feel right in my hand. I checked the refractive index of it, and a few other things, and it turned out to be a piece of glass. This explained why it didn''t weigh what it should, or most likely why it broke when being set. Sometimes these good deals on vacations don''t turn out to be good deals at all.

 

[kiliki]

Thank you all for your responses. They''ve been very helpful to me to understand what a knowledgeable buyer might expect from a seller. I will definitely look into getting a reputable cert on it. Thank you all for your expertise!

 

[PrecisionGem]

As a side note, this may not be the best time to sell a tanzanite as the price has dropped the past year. I think on the TV gem channels they are now selling tanzanite at around $500 per ct or less, where about a year ago they were getting $900 to $1200 per ct. These guys talk a good talk, and have a big market, so you should need to undercut their price to make a sale, to an aware consumer.